ABC’s upcoming but still unfinished “Life on Mars,” adapted from the BBC series of the same name, nostalgically recalls 1973 New York, pre-Studio 54, post-World Trade Towers. Clearly “Serpico” and “Mean Streets” form the template for this retro- cop show, producer Josh Appelbaum said.

At the same time, CBS has “Swingtown” on the air, an ode to suburban wife-swapping couples in the ’70s. And David Milch is working on a series about New York cops in the ’70s. It must be time to get out the platform shoes.

Joanne Ostrow has been watching TV since before "reality" required quotation marks. "Hill Street Blues" was life-changing. If Dickens, Twain or Agatha Christie were alive today, they'd be writing for television. And proud of it.